Nigerian Times

1 Sep 2011 11:55 Africa/Lagos Sweden to host informal Nordic-African ministerial meeting in Skåne STOCKHOLM, September 1, 2011/African Press Organization (APO)/ -- Next week, on Monday 5 and Tuesday 6 September, Sweden will be hosting an informal foreign ministers meeting between the Nordic countries and eleven African countries at Örenäs Castle, south of Helsingborg. Minister for Foreign Affairs Carl Bildt will host the meeting and Minister for Trade Ewa Björling and Minister for International Development Cooperation Gunilla Carlsson will also be taking part. At the meeting ministers will discuss economic development and growth against the backdrop of the strong economic outlook in several African countries, freedom on the Internet, democracy and state-building, and other topical issues. Minister for Foreign Affairs Carl Bildt will host the meeting. Sweden's Minister for Trade Ewa Björling and Minister for International Development Cooperation Gunilla Carlsson wi...

7 Jun 2011 16:46 Africa/Lagos Migrants Continue to be Vulnerable in Libyan Conflict GENEVA, June 7, 2011/African Press Organization (APO)/ -- IOM Press Briefing Notes The on-going conflict and political stalemate in Libya has left migrants in a situation of continued vulnerability, with large groups stranded across the country. During an assessment of the humanitarian needs in various parts of Libya, IOM staff reported on the plight of a large community of mostly African and Filipino migrant workers sheltering in two sites in the capital, Tripoli. Staff say some of the migrants have been without jobs since the beginning of the crisis as their employers had left the country. Feeling they have nothing to return to, they stay on in Libya in the vain hope that they may receive back pay from their employers or find another job. Others have been left to take care of employers' properties but have not been paid since February. The majority, from Ghana, Togo, Sudan, Nigeria, Cameroon and o...

6 Jun 2011 16:05 Africa/Lagos 8th Tarifa Film Festival Presents 148 African movies TARIFA, June 6, 2011/African Press Organization (APO)/ -- 8th African Film Festival of Tarifa presents between 11th and 19th of June 148 movies from 23 African countries, which compete for 8 awards endowed with 46 500 euros. One of the biggest European festival of African cinema welcomes this year over 200 African filmmakers including legendary African directors Abderrahmane Sissako and Moustapha Alassane and focuses among others on African Diaspore in Latin America, the role of cinema in recent revolutions in Tunis and Egypt or restrospective of Congolese cinematography. Festival is accompanied by 3rd Africa Produce Forum, where 10 African filmmakers compete with their projects to get funding from European producers, while 4th Photoafrica competition offers to African photographers 3 000 euros in prize money. Festival, which attracts every year over ten thousands of film fans, takes place on the south...

The United Nations and Loots from African Rulers What Kept me guessing is how the Western world, including Australia and some Asian countries keep on being the custodians of the ill-gotten loots of many African rulers (both current and past). We Africans will only know about the loots when there is political crisis such as the uprisings in North Africa, if one of them is overthrown or suddenly died. Muammar Gaddafi speaking at the United Nations Assembly Though we still see the loots with our very eyes; having oil wells, private universities, 5 star hotels, directors of many corporate organizations where they invested their loots. One other thing is that the Muslim heads of state of the troubled countries are more corrupt than ever; stealing in the name of Allah, deceiving their people or are they just kleptomaniacs? President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe How on earth can an Africa ruler be the richest man in the world by just being the President of his country and stashing away his count...